German mobile phone users to pay TV licence fee

Germany is to charge mobile phone users a TV licence fee from April because more and more of the devices are equipped to receive radio and TV transmissions.

The licences, which were to apply to computers from April anyway, have been extended to include mobile phones as an increasing number are able to receive FM radio stations. Sales of phones with TVs are also expected to take off later this year.

People in Japan and Korea have been using TV-phones for some time and the service was launched in Berlin last summer. Customers can receive Eurosport and music station Viva Plus among other channels.

The service, which is made possible through so-called Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds (DVB-H) technology, is due to be extended to Cologne, Hanover, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt over the next 12 months.

However, it remains to be seen whether the service will prove a success after a recent US poll revealed that 53% of cell phone users had little or no interest in watching TV through their phones.

The study, which was conducted by Lycra Research, found that only 14% of people were very interested in the technology.

The new law also covers computers that have a built-in TV card but people who have already paid for a TV and radio licence will not have to pay twice.